By Staff
HIGH HONORS Tommy Dulaney, left, is congratulated Thursday night by Meridian Community College President Dr. Scott Elliott at the 2001 Winners Circle program, the annual MCC membership appreciation party where Dulaney was named Philanthropist of the Year. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Sheila Blackmon/The Meridian Star
Nov. 16, 2001
Meridian Community College Foundation members named Tommy Dulaney their Philanthropist of the Year Thursday at an annual members appreciation party.
Surrounded by food and about 300 friends and fellow members at Northwood Country Club, Dulaney responded to the award and the announcement that a newly-furnished conference and banquet room at MCC's Webb Hall would be named after him with humble appreciation.
Dulaney was named the Mississippi Benefactor of the Year in May by the Council for Resource Development, a national group for community college fund-raisers. Because of that honor, MCC President Dr. Scott Elliott said MCC Foundation members wanted to honor Dulaney locally and thought this year was an appropriate time to do it.
Serving the community in many capacities, including chairman of the MCC Board of Trustees and chairman of the board for the East Mississippi Business Development Corp., Dulaney not only financially supports many community projects, but he gives his own time and energy, Elliott said.
Anne Dowdle, director of institutional advancement, said Emma McCain and the late William B. Crooks Jr. have been past recipients of the award.
Dowdle presented a video tribute to Dulaney, "Behind Steel Doors: The Making of a Philanthropist," produced by MCC's Production Center and narrated by Sandy Bynum, MCC's Broadcast Communications program coordinator.
Among Dulaney's contributions to MCC is establishment of a scholarship endowment to honor Rodney Walker, who taught Dulaney when he was "merely a student who had borrowed money from his grandmother to attend Meridian Junior College."
Sheila Blackmon is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551, ext. 3275, or e-mail her at sblackmon@themeridianstar.com.